Untersuchungen zum «intrinsic pitch» deutscher Vokale

Abstract

Abstract This paper describes investigations of the intrinsic pitch of German vowels, embedded in sentences of equal form. These sentences («lch habe /CVCa/ gesagt»; C = p, t, k; V = various vowels) were spoken several times by 3 speakers. Then the fundamental frequency of the respective vowel V was measured relative to the mean fundamental frequency of each sentence and expressed as a pitch interval. The statistical evaluation concerned the dependence of this intrinsic pitch on the vowel, i. e. its formant frequencies, on the adjacent consonants, and on the speaker. The results are qualitatively consistent with known data and further indicate an (at least partial) central control of intrinsic pitch.